


Love Is More Than a Candle (Anakin's Redemption)

by academyofbrokenhearts



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Death, Jedi, Other, Sith
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-15
Updated: 2018-04-15
Packaged: 2019-04-22 23:58:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14319918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/academyofbrokenhearts/pseuds/academyofbrokenhearts
Summary: Darth Vader is defeated, but Luke won't turn to the dark side. Anakin can't stand to see his son in danger.





	Love Is More Than a Candle (Anakin's Redemption)

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this one-shot in May 2015. I always thought it would be nice to write something about Anakin's redemption since I'm not satisfied with the way the scene is handled in the novelisation of Episode VI. I used Matthew Stover's novelisation of "Revenge of the Sith" and a YouTube video called "Anakin Skywalker || Redemption" as inspiration. The title is also inspired by Stover.

This is the end of Darth Vader.

Everything points towards this outcome, after all. He is defeated; just like Count Dooku so many years ago.

Treachery is the way of the Sith.

He doesn’t feel betrayed, though; he knew his master way too well to expect otherwise. He just feels bitterness at the thought that the history is repeating itself, and disappointment for failing to get Luke on his side. They could have ruled together. They would have trusted each other.

It's so long since he last trusted someone. So long since he was able to relax.

So long since...

But no, he must not remember this. This is a part of him that he doesn't like, the weakness that keeps him awake in the middle of the night when he is unable to distract himself otherwise.

Not that it would matter now, since the end is almost here anyway. As he told Luke earlier, it is indeed too late.

And yet, the death doesn't come.

Luke just stares at him, and then at his own mechanical hand, and Vader feels his son's anger and fear disappearing.

Just like that.

Then Luke turns around and speaks, and his voice is calm and determined:

"Never. I'll never turn to the Dark Side. You've failed, Your Highness. I am a Jedi, like my father before me."

The satisfaction on the Emperor’s face turns into cold hatred, and Vader knows that his master is defeated.

He also knows that someone will have to pay the price for this.

"So be it. Jedi."

This is the death sentence of his son.

This thought sinks in as Darth Sidious tells Luke that he will be destroyed while striking him with Force lightnings. It sinks in, and brings back memories Vader fought with for so long, memories that belong to someone who lived long ago. Anakin's memories. His weakness, the lone candle in the dark he tried so hard to hold back.

* * *

This is how it feels to be Anakin Skywalker now.

Your first memory is of Count Dooku, torturing you when you were a padawan, just like your master is torturing your son in the present. And it's like you feel again all the pain you felt back then.

Luke screams something. It's a desperate plea for help.

But how can you help?

You cannot touch the shadow. Because the shadow is all you got left. The shadow doesn't judge. It understands you and it always forgives you, and it gathers you unto itself. The shadow is strong.

You, on the other hand, are not. You never were.

The second memory is of your mother. She suffered so much. And it was your fault. The Hero With No Fear, unable to protect his beloved ones.

Now Shmi dies into your arms all over again, whilst Luke shrivels on the floor in agony. Her last words, cut by death, the declaration of the unconditional and undying love of a mother for her son.

The third memory. Mace Windu, falling to his death because of you. The Jedi children, who trusted you and whom you murdered in cold blood.

Obi-Wan. You try to fight against this memory, try to remember that Obi-Wan mutilated you and let you to burn to death on Mustafar, but your guilt is suffocating now, and you know, you see now what you couldn't see back then, blinded by your dark hatred. You remember the tears in his eyes and the pain in his voice when he screamed that you were the Chosen One, that you were his brother, that he loved you.

Finally, you remember her beautiful face, and the pain is so intense that it almost leaves you out of breath. Your beloved wife, the woman you would have done everything for, the woman you lost because in that moment, when she asked you to leave with her, you thought of _yourself_...

This boy right here, this boy who is also in pain, tortured by your master, is part of _her_.

This boy who, just like Obi-Wan before him, refused to kill you. Because he loves you, in spite of everything.

In spite of the monster you are.

You couldn't save your mother. You couldn't save your wife. You betrayed all of your friends. You lost everything.

You cannot bear the thought of losing Luke as well. Even if it will cost you your own life. But even death would be a much better fate for you than this hopeless existence.

So you do it. You do what you should have done so many years ago.

You grab the Sith and throw him into the abyss. He doesn't even have time to struggle.

This is the end of Darth Sidious. Luke is safe. You can feel that he will be alright. You did it. You saved him.

You know now that you will die, but it doesn't matter, because for the first time in so long, the lava stopped burning and you don't hate yourself anymore.


End file.
